After careful consideration Wes Janson had decided that Rudrig was just a big a dirtball of a planet as Tatooine. Okay, so it wasn't as bad Tatooine, not many things were, but Rudrig wouldn't be his first choice for a home planet. Too humid for his taste

"Wes, what're we doing here?" the tall man next to him.

Wes glanced over at Hobbie Klivian. "You know as well as I do, Hobbie. Now stop asking." Truth was though that Wes had been asking himself that same question the entire time he'd been on Rudrig, which was about an hour ago now.

Wedge had explained everything to him, of course, about how New Republic Intelligence had been sent the coordinates for this new pirate squadron that had been not only harassing New Republic shipping but also Rogue Squadron itself. Whoever was leading things on the pirate squadron side had something personal against the Rogues. Ex-Imperials, perhaps? Current Imperials? Or just some rookie squad out looking to make themselves famous by vaping the Rogues? He guessed it didn't matter in the end. They wanted Janson and his friends dead, and Wes had no inclination to make that happen.

What bugged Wes was not the identity of this mysterious squadron who flew an odd variety of ships; four X-wings, one A-wing, one B-wing, two A-9 Vigilances, two TIE Interceptors and some odd TIE fighter that he'd never seen before, an odd combination for sure; but what bugged him was who sent the Rogues coordinates to ambush them? Wedge didn't know, Ackbar didn't know, even General Cracken said he didn't know, though Wes wasn't so sure he could trust everything that Cracken said. He didn't think that the General would do anything to put the Rogues in danger without warning them first, but on the other hand he also wasn't that sure Cracken wouldn't.

"So what are we supposed to do here anyway?" came a voice to his right. Wes turned his head slightly and glared at Avan Beruss, one of the newer members of the squadron. Well, not so new on second thought. He had been with the squadron for a while now. Brentaal, Axxila, Ciutric...Avan had been with the squadron through all of those battles, and more. Feylis Ardele was standing next to Avan, holding his hand as they walked. Feylis had been with the Rogues a little longer than Avan, but not much. And Hobbie over there had been with the squadron since practically the beginning. It was actually a miracle of the Force that he was still alive, considering how my crash landings he made. The technicians always joked about not giving Hobbie a new X-wing until he learned how to take care of the one he had. The other two people that followed him to Rudrig were Narska Plo'kre, a Bothan, and Rarkaas Nel, a Rodian.

"Okay, you all know about that mysterious squadron that's been ambushing us the last few weeks?"

"Kind of hard to forget them, Wes," Hobbie put in sardonically.

"Shut up," Wes said back. "In four engagements we've only taken out one of their fighters. That could just mean that they're very good, but Wedge doesn't think so. He had some crazy theory about them being too strong for us to take out together. He thought it best to split them up and see if they follow us. Once they hit the ground we ambush them and get rid of them. Plain and simple."

"Uhh, problem Wes," Avan said.

"What's that?"

"We don't know who they are or what they look like. We haven't got an ID on any of them, we have nothing. How are we supposed to know when they land?"

Wes smiled. "Not a problem, Avan. We've got someone at the starport watching all the incoming traffic. Anything that even remotely resembles the profiles of the enemy squadron will be watched. They'll get us ID's, and then we'll go pay them visit and show them why it was a mistake to pick a fight with Rogues."

"What kept you?" ThunderingSilence asked JeniViolet as she sat down on the seat next to her. They had landed on Rudrig about half and hour ago. They were supposed to make contact immediately afterwards but for some reason JeniViolet hadn't shown. Everyone else was here, though. Seven Upper Room, normally called Seven after his call sign; PalinKD, Sith Eight; Sharpedges, Sith Nine; and LifeFlame, Sith Ten. JeniViolet had been the only one not to show up. She had originally been worried about Jen, but that worry had dissipated. JeniViolet was a big girl, she could take care of herself. But the real question was could Jen push aside her love of Wes Janson enough to kill him?

Probably not, which was why ThunderingSilence was in charge over here, not Jen. The great Lord Baron Reno didn't trust Jen's judgment in the job of killing Janson. Thunder, on the other hand, he knew had no such reservations. A job was a job, and she was going to complete it.

"Spaceport security was snooping around," Jen explained while fingering the lightsaber hooked to her belt. "I had to take care of him."

Thunder sighed. "Where'd you stash the body?"

"It's hidden, that's all that matters," JeniViolet protested. Thunder glared at her. "Look, I had too. I couldn't let him get a positive ID on us. If he did then the Rogues would know we were here and they'd know who we are. I prevented that."

She had a point, she really did. If the Rogues knew who they were then it would be all the harder to kill them. "Fine. Okay, this is how it's going to work. There are six Rogues on the planet; Janson, Klivian, Beruss, Ardele, Plo'kre and Nel. We're going to split into three teams of two, each will be responsible for killing their pair of the Rogues. Your team will be your normal wingman assignment. Seven with Palin, Sharp with Flame-"

"Which means I get the joy of teaming with you, huh Thunder?"

"First of all that's Captain Thunder to you, Lieutenant. And second of all, yes, you do get to grace my presence. Alright, targets go like this. Seven and Palin are gonna hit Beruss and Ardele, Sharp and Flame will take Plo'kre and Nel."

"I guess that means that you and I get Janson and Klivian, right Captain?" she spat.

"So very perceptive of you, Jen, you're finally learning. It seems your consumption rate of Whyren's Reserve hasn't slowed down your thinking process too much. Now lets stop wasting time and get down to business."

"So, have we heard anything from our boy at the spaceport?" Hobbie asked him as he sat down on the barstool next to Wes. Janson took another sip of his drink and shook his head.

"Nothin'. I've tried calling him several times now. He's either ignoring my calls or he's not around to answer them. I'm hoping the former but thinking the latter. I'm pretty sure our mysterious pilots got to him first. Which is very bad, since we still don't know what they look like. They could be humans, they could be aliens, they could be robots, or HRD's like that Guri thing that Luke said worked for Xizor. The fact is that we don't know. We don't know anything."

"Well you should be used to that by now," Hobbie sarcastically muttered. Wes turned his head and glared daggers at him for a second. It was enough to make Hobbie lose his smile and glance away. "Did you get anything from Avan or Narska?" he finally asked.

Wes shook his head. "Plo'kre and Nel still report a negative for hostiles. Plo'kre said he was gonna stick around the spaceport a little bit more and see if he can't find our spotter. Avan and Feylis are still skulking around the hospital and residential areas looking for anyone suspicious."

"You mean like us?" Hobbie asked.

"No I don't mean like us!" he said back. "I mean like people following us and trying to kill us. But definitely not people like us. Though if you keep trying to make jokes I might not stop them when they come for you."

Hobbie laughed gently knocked his knuckles on the bar, prompting the bartender to turn around. "I'll take one of whatever it is this grown up adolescent is having." The bartender grunted and turned around. A second later he turned back and tossed a small glass full of green liquor on the counter. Hobbie sniffed at his drink cautiously. "Is this safe to drink?"

"I don't know," Wes said honestly. "But I've had two and I'm not dead yet."

"Good enough for me," Hobbie said while taking a sip. His face squirmed for a second and Wes actually thought that Hobbie was going to spit it back in his cup. But he choked it down and took another sip. "So....should we really be drinking on duty?"

"Probably not."

"Then why are we doing it?"

Wes smiled like a ten year old. "'Cause Wedge'll never find out."

Jen watched the two pilots at the bar with great interest. Wes Janson and Hobbie Klivian. She would know those two from anywhere, especially Janson. She would also kill to know what they were saying. She sincerely wished that she could've approached them before they got in the bar so she could've planted a bug on either of them. What they were saying could be important for their mission. JeniViolet swore. I wish Spanky was here, she thought. Her little R2 unit had some modifications that would allow her to listen in on their conversation. But Spanky was back at the hanger guarding her X-wing. She still wished he was here.

"Should we move now or wait for them to leave the bar?" she asked Thunder.

"I think now would be a good time. They've both got a few drinks in them and are probably a little slow."

"Ummm," Jen said. "We've also both got a few drinks in us and are also a little slow."

"Good point," Thunder said. "Doesn't matter though. We've got the Force, that gives us the advantage. Wait....Klivian is leaving. Wonder where he's going? Alright, follow him Jen. I'll get Janson."

"Now wait, why can't I get Janson?"

"Gee, wonder why?" Thunder muttered sarcastically. "Maybe it's because you melt into a little puddle of goo whenever his name is mentioned. I don't even want to think what you'd do if he actually said a word to you."

"C'mon! I can't do it, I really can," Jen protested. "If someone is gonna kill Janson at least let it be me. Please..."

Thunder sighed. "Fine. But you'd better get the job done. I'm trusting you to do this. When I come back if Janson isn't dead I'll have Baron Reno make you wash his entire SSD with a toothbrush, top to bottom, outside and in, every nook and every cranny. Got it?"

"Of course!" Jen said happily. "Thank you, I won't let you down. You won't regret this, Captain Thunder." Then Jen ran off towards the bar and Wes Janson. She was so excited at the opportunity to meet Janson that she didn't even hear Thunder say, "Somehow I seriously doubt that."

Wes took one last sip of his drink then turned and started out of the bar. Three drinks was probably enough for now. It was three more than he should've had considering he was on duty. Turning around slowly he nearly bumped into a truly gorgeous woman. She was about average height, maybe a little tall compared to most women. Her dark brown hair went down to her shoulders, but two sidelocks on either side of her temples were dyed purple. She was downright hot, too.

"Buy me a drink?" she asked him.

Considering Wedge had already had three drinks, considering he was on duty, and considering they were in a dangerous situation where no one could be trusted Wes probably shouldn't have accepted her offer. But she was just so pretty.

"Sure. What do you want?"

"Whyren's Reserve," she said while taking the seat next to him, the one Hobbie had been sitting in before he left. Wes hadn't been too happy when Avan called and asked that Hobbie meet up with him. Wes had said that it would be better to stick together, but reluctantly let Hobbie go. Now he was really glad that Hobbie was gone. He hoped he stayed gone.

"Hey barkeep, two Whyren's Reserves. So..." he said pitifully, trying desperately to make conversation. "You from around here?"

"No, I'm just passing through. You?"

"Same." Wes held out his hand. "Wes Janson. And you are?"

"Just call me Jen."

Wes smiled. "Gladly." The bartender handed Wes the two drinks and Janson gave one of them to his new friend Jen. What a face! What a body! He just had to get to know her better. "So what do you do? You don't look like smuggler and you're way to cute to be an honest trader or freighter pilot."

Jen smiled seductively. "Well maybe I'm a bounty hunter?" she suggested while laughing.

Wes laughed along with her. "You certainly don't look like a bounty hunter. So what do you do?"

"Just a freighter pilot, I'm afraid. What about you?"

"I'm a pilot, too," he said, which strictly speaking was true. Only difference was that he piloted an X-wing and fought against the oppression of the Empire, he didn't pilot a big old freighter dragging cargo from one side of the galaxy to the next. They were practically the same thing. Well, at least for the sake of getting close to Jen it was going to be the same.

JeniViolet was almost amazed at how easy she could manipulate Wes Janson. She had always thought him good looking, good build, great butt, and strong will. Now she had to revise that to good looking, good build, great butt, but dumb as a womprat. Luckily he had a great butt.

Jen couldn't believe it. She was actually sitting here talking to Wes Janson. The man she was almost obsessed with. He was so perfect and she knew that they would be great together. It was such a shame that she had to kill him. It really put a damper on their relationship.

The bar was way to crowded to kill someone in the open. The people here were more than half drunk but they would notice that. What she needed was a place with no people, hidden away from everyone else. She could always take him to the place where she stashed the body of the other person she had kill on Rudrig. Nah, too far away. She should probably just find some dark alley somewhere...

Oooooh, it mad her so angry. She could think of a lot better things she wanted to do with Janson in a dark alley, and none of them ended up with her killing him. But it was her job, and she had to do it.

Or did she? She could just run away with Janson and hide on some obscure planet. No, Lord Baron Reno wouldn't stand for that. He would have the rest of the Siths hunt her down and drag her back to his SSD. Then he would kill her personally. Running definitely wasn't an option. Jen sighed. It looked like she was just going to have to go through with it.

Jen stood up from her seat and offered Wes her hand. "Would you like to accompany on a walk?"

"Of course, milady," he said in response, taking her arm in his. "Where are we going?"

"Just around town. I haven't seen much of Rudrig while I've been here, just the bars."

"Well then, I'll be your escort, your guide, anything you need me to be."

Jen smiled. "Anything?" she asked.

"Whatever the lady wishes." Yeah, but what the lady wishes and what the lady has to do are two very different things, she thought to herself.

They walked for several blocks just making small talk. Asking questions about each others lives, what they did, how long they've done it, blah blah blah. Funny thing was that they were both lying to each other about everything. Jen wasn't a freighter pilot, Wes wasn't one either. Both lied about their histories, both lied about this and that, both were completely dishonest with each other. Of course the reason for that was that both of them knew that they wouldn't see the other the next day, one way or another.

About fifteen minutes into their walk they passed a dark alley, one that would be perfect for the assassination. No, that word didn't make what she was about to do any better. Murder certainly didn't, even though that was really what it was. Well, it was time.

"Did you hear that?" she asked him, a hint a sadness evident in her voice. She didn't hear anything though, she just needed an excuse to get Wes in the alley.

"Hear what?"

"I thought I heard something in that alley."

"I didn't hear anything," Janson said. Oh would he just stop being stubborn and go down he damn alley! This was hard enough already.

"It was like a faint crashing. Stay here, I'll check it out." Just as she predicted, Wes Janson, being the gallant male trying to protect a female, wouldn't have that.

"No, no, no, I'll go. You just stay here." Well now she couldn't have that. She needed to go in that alley with Janson, preferably with him in front of her. That would make things a lot easier. Flip the switch on her lightsaber, jam it in his back, and be done with it. But she knew that Janson wouldn't let her go in, not unless....he felt he had insulted her honor.

"Hey, I am a big girl, I can take care of myself," she shot at him, a little more anger in her voice then she had wanted to use.

Janson held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I didn't say you couldn't. I was just..."

"I know what you were doing. Why don't we both go? You lead, I follow. That okay with you?" "Sure," he said, taking a step into the alley. Jen watched as Janson looked around. "I don't see anything. You sure you heard something?"

"Positive," she said. Jen quietly unclipped her hidden lightsaber.

"Well I'm not seeing anything."

"Nor will you....." she said quietly, then, almost to herself, she whispered ".....ever again. She had the end the lightsaber almost touching Jansons back. So close that he probably should've felt it. All she had to do was flick the switch and her violet blade would shoot out of the handle and pierce his back. Probably go right through his heart. The irony that her blade would pierce the heart of the man she loved and kill him at the same time wasn't lost on her. She rested her finger on the activation switch. Jen realized that she was trembling with fear. She was a future Sith Lord, she shouldn't be feeling fear. And certainly not over something like this. She had a job to do. It was her duty as a Sith to destroy their enemies, and the truth was that Rogue Squadron was their enemies. They had to be eliminated . All she had to do was flip the switch and her duty would be done. All she had to do........

"What'd you say?" Janson said. Jen suddenly snapped out of the trance she was in. She stared blankly at the lightsaber in her hand and quickly hooked it back on her belt. Jen adjusted her robe so it concealed the weapon.

"I said...." Her mind raced with excuses. Uhhhh... "Nor will you. It was probably a gnarl or something. Just forget it. C'mon, let's finish our walk." Wes smiled, took her by the hand, and together they walked out of the ally. Unfortunately her happiness was squandered by other thoughts. She had just disobeyed a direct order from both Lord Baron Reno and Captain ThunderingSilence, there was going to be some type of punishment.

ThunderingSilence gritted her teeth as she watched JeniViolet walk out of the alley with a still breathing Wes Janson. And not only was Janson not dead but he was holding Jen's hand. It made Thunder sick just looking at them. She had ordered JeniViolet to kill Janson, and here she was practically making out with him. There was bound to be some repercussions. And something a lot worse than no Whyren's for a week. Knowing Lord Baron Reno's quick temper and vengeful nature if JeniViolet lived through her punishment she'll most likely wish she hadn't.

Unless, of course, Thunder took the Siths laws in her own hands and punished Jen. She was sure Lord Baron Reno would approve. Of course it might deny the Lord Baron some of his fun, but to get over that she just had to get him really really drunk, which thankfully was very easy to do.

ThunderingSilence growled and stood up from her crouch. Yes, she would do this herself. As the second-in-command of Sith Squadron it was her duty to punish those who broke what few rules they actually had. Thunder reached across to her right hip and unhooked her blastsword. That blastsword was an old weapon from her homeplanet of Adumar, a planet so far out in space that the New Republic and Empire have never even heard of it. The blastsword was a favorite for duelists, people with grudges, and people who just wanted to put justice in their own hands. This was definitely for the latter. Justice.

But first she had one more stop to make. She wanted to do this the traditional way, with a blastsword. Problem was that JeniViolet didn't have one. Luckily Thunder kept a spare blastsword in her X-wing, just for such occasions. All she had to do was take a quick trip back to her X-wing then come back and take care of Jen. She watched the new couple walk down the street, hands still intertwined.

"That just won't do," she said as she swung her blastsword ceremoniously through the air. "That just won't do at all."

Continued...